Is it just me or has Easter egg decorating reached a whole new level the past few years? I mean, it's hardly practical...I'd never hand-paint two dozen eggs to hide in a hunt, buuuut I'm loving the creative possibilities! Here are my six current faves (in no particular order):

It's bad enough to want to make everything...but to have an itch to make a print that says you want to make everything is ridiculous. And true.

I've had this idea swimming around in my head for quite some time, and I finally had a chance to sit down and paint for an hour last week. It was amazing. I forgot how cathartic it was to just create something for the heck of it. It's like a spa day for my brain. If you're feeling stressed or uninspired, I invite you to take a break and do this fun coloring/painting exercise!

I've made a printable PDF that serves as a template for the watercolor print you see above. The lettering has a faint outline around it, so all you have to do is choose a color and paint inside the lines. When you're done, you'll look like a professional calligrapher and have something pretty to hang on your wall. Yay!

To celebrate the opening of our Pop-Up Stamp Shop (AND our community of Facebook fans), we're giving away our last DIY Watercolor Business Card Kit. We've packed the kit with our favorite supplies, including a complete watercolor cake set, a black stamp pad, 20 high quality watercolor paper cards, and a custom business card stamp. It's literally everything you need to make a beautiful, one-of-a-kind watercolor business card.

No purchase is necessary to win the kit, but those who purchase a stamp this week will be given lots of extra entries! Please remember that our pop-up shops are only open for 1 week at a time, and supplies are very limited.

The chalkboard trend is nothing new, but when I set out to make this graphic, I figured it was a great opportunity to write a tutorial. My method doesn't produce the most mind-blowing, realistic portrayal of handwritten chalk on a blackboard, but I think it suffices for recreational use.

To follow along, you’ll need:

Photoshop CS6 (and a basic understanding of how it works)

Illustrator CS6 (optional, depending on how you'd like to set up the illustration and type)

STEP 1

TIP :: To make this design, I used Charcuterie Frames, Block, Filigree, Ornaments, and Catch Words. I drew the lettuce, beet, and carrot with the pen tool.

STEP 2

Paste the frame into your Photoshop file by hitting Command + V. Note that this is now a Vector Smart Object on its own layer. Re-size and move as needed by using Command + T.

STEP 3

In your Layers panel, click on fx and choose Pattern Overlay. (Be sure the Vector Smart Object layer is selected when you do this.)

Next, choose a white, crackled pattern. I used "Homemade Paper" under the pre-loaded Grayscale Paper collection, but you can choose whatever looks most like chalk. Keep the opacity at 100%, then click OK.

STEP 4

This step is a matter of personal taste, but I like some contrast between the black of the board and the white of the chalk. With the Vector Smart Object layer still selected, click on fx again and this time choose Outer Glow. Here are the settings I used:

Blend Mode: Normal

Opacity: 30%

Noise: 0%

Color: #000000 (black)

Technique: Softer

Spread: 0%

Size: 16px

Play around with the settings to get an effect you like, then click OK.

STEP 5

STEP 6

Right-click on the same layer and choose Rasterize Layer. (Don't do this if you want to keep that illustration a vector. Instead, make a copy of the layer, and only rasterize one of them. Hide the other.)

STEP 7

Now for some imperfections! Choose the Smudge tool, adjusting the size and strength to your liking.

Click and drag (quickly) to create "smudges" - as if you accidentally rested your hand on the board and wiped off chalk. Repeat as desired.

Optional Step :: If this isn't looking realistic enough for you, try using the Brush tool to apply a grungy texture in black. (New layer > select the Brush tool > identify the brush you want to use > size it to something slightly larger than your canvas, making sure your foreground color is black > click to apply.) Adjust the opacity of this layer until the chalk is "just white enough." For me, this was 50%.

At the end, you'll have something like this:

If you're wondering what all the veggies are about, come back tomorrow and check out our farm-inspired color palette series!

First, I have to tell you this wasn't my idea. I spotted it on Pinterest HERE. I thought it was so fun that I had to make a version of my own!

I have every type of paper and envelope imaginable, so I tried 2 different transparent coin envelopes: one vellum and one glassine. The vellum was MUCH easier to stamp on, as glassine tends to not like ink. (The stamp slid around a bit on the waxy surface and it was hard to get a super clear impression.) For confetti, I punched one-inch coral and glittery gold circles as well as black quarter-inch hearts. It's a party and business card in one!

Today's color inspiration comes in the form of our DIY stamped business cards. With our simple, streamlined custom stamp, you can use almost any type of pretty paper imaginable: your own watercolor art, marbled paper, linen paper, metallic paper, patterned paper, vintage paper, and even SCRAP paper. The possibilities are endless, and it's a great way to breathe personality and style into a small creative business! The best part is, you can make them on demand for the price of a stamp, ink, and paper.

Our custom stamps are available now through May 6th in limited quantities.Head on over to our Etsy Pop-Up Shop to get your hands on one. If you follow us on Facebook, you'll be privy to discount codes and an awesome giveaway we're planning at this very moment.

Our Pop-Up Shop is open! Find custom stamps for business cards, masking tape, and packaging PLUS beautiful wood supplies cut to order. Quantities are very limited, and it's only open until March 21st, so place your orders now! If you follow us on Facebook, you'll know about the coupon. :)

This shop is centered around our posts here, here, and here. Each time we open, we'll feature new products, so find info about our FREE membership here.

If you follow us on Facebook, you might have figured it out :: DIY Hand-Stamped Business Cards! But not just any ol' business cards...WATERCOLOR and WOOD business cards.

We're teaming up with Keeper Goods to offer beautiful walnut and maple business cards cut to order. That means you get to choose your corners: straight, rounded, or inverse rounded. Plus, they'll be sold in packs of 20 so you won't have to spend a fortune trying to reach a minimum.

For stamps, we'll offer 2 pre-made designs in which "hello" and "HELLO THERE" can be personalized. (The contact info will obviously change as well, and be limited to 25 characters per line. All fonts will remain as pictured.) These custom clear stamps will measure 3" x 2" and start around $40. For a business stamp with your logo on it, the price will start around $45.

I am SOOO EXCITED that these hand-stamped watercolor business cards turned out JUST as amazing as I imagined!!!

Late last year, I had been toying with the idea of blind letterpress printing a shape, letter, or logo, then filling it with watercolor by hand. Instead of "paint by numbers" it would be "paint by letterpress." So cool! But the question I kept asking myself was, "Am I really ready to throw down a few hundred bucks to try it out?" Not really. Plus, the concept wouldn't be conducive to personalization at a decent price or small batch production. Soooo, my next idea was to use a custom stampover watercolor; however, I wasn't sure if the ink would bleed onto the soft paper. Furthermore, I would need to make a stamp that would not only be legible over a bright splash of color, but also complement the overall design.

Well, I tried it out. And the results are G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S!

Here's how I made them:

After trimming down my watercolor paper, I painted a unique watercolor on each 4" x 2" card. (It's a half inch wider than your standard business card.) After waiting a few minutes for the paint to dry, I carefully stamped my design over it using black pigment ink. (Pigment ink takes longer to dry, but it acts more like paint and shows up beautifully over the watercolor.)

All in, it took me about 15 minutes to make 3 cards. If you're making a face at your screen right now, think about it this way :: how SPECIAL will your client feel when you give this to them? Plus, watercolor is so cathartic it's like free therapy. Or, at least a break from regular work!

I love the contrast between the colorful, playful watercolor and the sleek modern type.

BTW // Pretty Peas Paperie is the little sister to Akula Kreative. There's a lot of overlap between the two, but the main difference is that Pretty Peas focuses on paper for individuals and families while Akula Kreative focuses on paper for businesses.

Watercolor set (Purchase HERE for international orders and to donate to B&L or HERE)

A watercolor brush

When choosing watercolor paper, I buy whatever 300gsm cold press paper is on sale. Since I'm not a professional artist, I can't really tell the difference. This week I "splurged" on the higher quality paper because it was Buy One Get One Free. :) Up until two years ago, I had been using a Crayola Basics watercolor set - the kind you can buy at the grocery store. I've since upgraded to the $5-10 "starter set." In my opinion, I don't think you need expensive paint for a project like this.

HERE is where you spend your money: nice brushes. Better quality brushes keep their shape, hold water, and don't leave little hairs behind in your paintings. One time, I purchased a set of brushes simply because they had white handles and I thought they were pretty. As it turns out, they basically repel water and don't work at all. Aaron Brothers is a great place to buy art supplies when you bring a coupon.

Now that I seem to be making custom watercolor brushes in Photoshop on a weekly basis, I thought it might be helpful (and fun) to show you how I do it. I fully understand there are other ways to make brushes, but this is what works for me!

To follow along, you'll need:

Photoshop (and a basic understanding of how it works)

A Scanner

Watercolor Supplies: paint, paper, water, cup, paper towel

STEP 1

Let me be clear that I don't consider myself an artist. I LOVE experimenting with art supplies, but if you asked me to draw your face I would probably fail. I'm good with the simple stuff :: lines, shapes, lettering, etc. For this exercise, that's all you really need.

Begin by painting your watercolor elements. If you plan on making flowers, paint each part separately: stem, leaf, petals, etc. Keep them spaced evenly (like cookies on a tray); this will allow for easy cropping later on. Use a single color, and don't worry about making fancy gradients or mixing colors.

Tips + Tricks :: Use black watercolor because it shows up best in scans.

STEP 2

Next, scan your painting as a photograph (not a text doc) using the highest resolution possible. This is what my original scan looks like in .jpg format (after cropping):

STEP 3

Open your. jpg in Photoshop (CS6 shown here) and change the color mode to grayscale:

Image > Mode > Grayscale.

STEP 4

Remove the "paper texture" from the scan by adjusting Levels:

Image > Adjustments > Levels.

By moving the right Input Level arrow to the left, you'll see the "background specks" start to disappear. Your goal is to have a dark image on a white background. The more contrast, the better. (There are other ways of achieving this, but in my opinion this is the easiest/fastest method.) At this point, I recommend saving this as a .jpg (at max resolution) for future use. Give it a specific name like "flowerbanner_scan_edited.jpg."

STEP 5

Next, isolate the first element you want to use for a brush with the Crop tool. In this case, it's my banner. Leaving width and height blank, keep the resolution at 300 (or higher), then click "OK."

Crop the element leaving minimal white space around it.

STEP 6

It's finally time to make the brush! As it turns out, this is the easiest step:

Edit > Define Brush Preset.

Now name your brush. (Later, if you want to group your brushes together, go to Edit > Presets > Preset Manager. Select the brushes, then click "Save Set.")

Repeat Steps 5 and 6 until you've created all of your brushes. (After each crop, I just Command+Option+Z to get back to the full edited scan. No need to save out a .jpg for each element.)

STEP 7

Let's try out the brushes. Create a new file.

STEP 8

Create a new layer. (I made Layer 1 white so I could see what I was doing.) On Layer 2, use the brush by selecting...the Brush tool.

Make sure the brush is the right size, then place it where you want it.

Tips + Tricks :: Even if you plan on applying a brush on an edge (so that it's partially cut off), start by placing it in the center then move it to where you want it. This gives you maximum flexibility if you want to move it later. Brushes are different from shapes in this way: Photoshop will only save the pixels visible on the canvas.

STEP 9

To apply color or gradient to the brush, make sure Layer 2 is selected, then choose Color Overlay or Gradient Overlay from the fx dropdown in your Layers panel.

Try out some gradients that mimic watercolor.

STEP 10

Layer the brushes to create your composition. Keep each brush application on its own layer so you can easily move and edit everything.

Ta-da! Photoshop brushes give you the best of both worlds :: on the one hand, you get to work from original art, but on the other, changing color, size, and placement is easy.

After you get the hang of things, try experimenting with textures, backgrounds, and other shapes. By adjusting the gradients, your options are truly endless!